Gone to the dogs: Fourteen Offaly winners

One of the most valuable one off races in the calendar year took place this week with €20k to the winner. Plenty of finals around the country with prize money galore up for grabs. Limerick, Cork, Thurles, Kilkenny and Shelbourne all had valuable finals with over €50k being divided. Top dogs in country were having prep races for the Derby which is just around the corner now. Some quality Offaly winners in the mix in another super week of racing across the nation.

Early Week Racing

Dundalk, on Wednesday, staged one of their biggest days of the year, the Dundalk International. Six dogs go to traps, three from Ireland and three from England all vying for a win of €20k.  First run in 1968 it has been a regular top class feature on the racing calendar ever since attracting the cream of greyhounds from both sides of the Irish Sea. The Irish team of Ballinabola Ed, recent winner of race of champions in Tralee and RPGTV open 600 in Shelbourne, Rafa Mofo 2022 Irish Oaks champion and Bobsleigh Dream winner of last years Tipperary cup and Irish Cesarewitch were certainly a formidable Irish team. Recent English Derby finalists Cochise and Brookside Richie represented the English raiders. In an incredible finish Irish dogs came home in first two places by the shortest of finishes as Rafa Mofo won for Murt Leahy in 29.98 at 4/1.

The €20k pot has now brought her winning prize money to near €70k in her seventeen wins. Ballinabola Ed was only beaten a nose for Pat Buckley earning a cheque for €6k. Best of the English dogs was Cochise finishing third. This once off competition is really a great race and always run in front of a huge crowd on July 12th where punters from the north fill the stadium and bookies will take endless amounts of cash. Another huge success for the Greyhound industry.

First Offaly winner of the week was on the supporting card as Durrow Wildcat was an impressive winner of an A3 670 yard race in 37.45 by one length for Durrow owner Diarmuid O’Neill with Francie Murray training.

In the final race on the Dundalk card, an A1 525, So Its Rapid won in 28.71 by two lengths for Birr owner Paul Pardy with Vincent McKenna at the helm.

Thursday, Shelbourne, in the first round of the RCETS A3 525 stake,five heats,  Blundel Trixy won the first in 28.78 by one length at 2/1 for Edenderry owner Timmy Ennis with Paul Cronin training.

Friday Racing

In an A3 race in Shelbourne, Coolemount Polly was first back in kennels for Croghan trainer Gerry Merriman in 29.15 by one length at 3/1.

In Tralee, in the final of the Ballymac Anton @ Stud/ KGOBA A4 570 yard stake, Sporting Arturo (Grangeview Ten - Ballymac Saga) won the €2.6k first prize for local trainer Jerry Griffin in 31.49 by three lengths at 7/2.

Saturday Racing

First Offaly winner on a busy Saturday was in Drumbo Park in Belfast, in the semifinals of the Ulster Sprint Open Puppy Cup over the 335 yard distance, Greizmann won for Edenderry owner Keith Duffy in 17.94 (10 fast) by three lengths with Robert Gleeson training.

In Galway, in an A6 grade, Like A Biscuit won for Geashill trainer Margaret Bolton in 29.52 (10 slow) by five lengths

Two Offaly winners in a wet Mullingar. In the first race on the card, an ON2 unraced, Clonearl Kate won for Daingean owner Conor McGrath and Tullamore owner Niall Deegan in 30.31 (50 slow) by two lengths at a short 1/2 fav. In an S7 350, Des The Bucko won for the second week in a row for Edenderry owner Pio Ennis and Oisin O’Grady in 19.28 (20 slow) by a wide margin of eleven lengths also at 1/2 fav with Deirdre Barry training.

The best race of the year so far in Thurles was the final of the Centenary Agri Open Tipperary Cup, the €7.5k first prize went to the form dog as Pape Di Oro (Droopys Sydney - Trusted Exile) cruised through this competition and winning the final for Pat Buckley in a rapid 28.79 (20 slow) by four lengths.

One Offaly winner on the supporting card in Thurles, in an A4 contest, Totos Bliss won for Birr owners Tony McCormack and Denis Fogarty in 29.97 (20 slow) by one length.

Curraheen Park in Cork staged the final of the Shelley Fennelly Memorial Open 525, won last year by Buckos Melody for Graham Holland. This year the €5k first prize went to Kerry and Liam Dowling as Ballymac Run (Bull Run Bolt - Jaytee Pearl) won by five lengths in 28.10 (10 fast) at 4/1.

In the final of the Sean O’Leary Memorial and CPSC A4 stake, Exit Seventeen (Eden The Kid - Bramble Swift) won the €1.5k purse in 28.74 (10 fast) by six lengths at 2/1 for Ger Crowley.

The most valuable stake final on Saturday was in Shelbourne, with the running of the RPGTV Corn Cuchalainn Open 750, won in 2022 by the great Crafty Kokoro for Peter Divilly. This year the €10.5k first prize pot went to Dowling again as Kinturk Road (Ballymac Cashout - Ballymac Arminta) in 41.60 (40 slow) by five lengths at 7/4. Hanover Phantom was second for Declan McDonagh and received a cheque for €3k.

On the Dock Road track  in Limerick, in the final of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Graders Derby stake, Headleys Susie (Good News - Pennylane Star) stole the honours and a first prize of €5k for owner Nick Cotter 28.93 by one length at 5/1.

Dundalk, in the first round of their biggest stake of the year, the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup, won last year by Hawkfield Ozark for Keeley McGee. Eleven heats all won in fast times. Road Exile set the standard in heat eight when winning by four lengths for Buckley again in 20.94.

There was one Offaly winner in the stake, in the first heat, Carrick Aldo won for Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn in 21.36 by one length with Mullingar trainer David Murray parading.

Sunday racing

Four Offaly winners at the matinee meeting in Mullingar.

In an A6 race, Horseleap Pippy won for Sean McGuinness in 29.75 by eight lengths at 4/1. In an A3 contest Lingrawn Lola won for Moneygall owner Mary Jones in 29.93 by one length also at 4/1. In an A4 grade, Paddy McCormack had his weekly win as Fahy Grace recorded his tenth career victory in an A4 race in 29.94 by two lengths at 6/1.

Our final winner in Mullingar was in an A2 race as Lingrawn Focus easily did the fastest time of the day when winning for Liam Jones in 29.45 by six lengths at 7/2.

All races in Mullingar were rated  .50 slow.

In Lifford, at an evening meeting, in the final of the Diana Divall Memorial A3 stake, Canya Hot Shot (Droopys Sydney - Easy On) was first over the whitewash in 29.18 by one length at 2/1 with a first prize of €1.5k going to trainer Dean Townsend.

In Kilkenny, in a gala night, with numerous finals all sponsored by John Mitchell Bookmakers and KGOBA, the  highlight being the A3 final, the €1.8k pot went to Local trainer Tom Lennon as Lemon Milo (Ballymac Best - Cats Belle) stopped the clock in 28.86 by a neck.

Upcoming events

Thursday, quarter-finals of the RCETS A3 stake in Shelbourne. Saturday, final of the Ulster Sprint Cup in Drumbo Park and second round of the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup in Dundalk.

Tribune Offaly dog of the week

Carrick Aldo gets the nod this week for winning the in first round of the National Sprint in Dundalk on Saturday in a super 21.36 for Edenderry owner Thomas Glynn with David Murray training. Brilliant run.

Offaly winners

A great week for Offaly dogs with fourteen Faithful County winners. Well done to all involved in any small way.